Jeanine would be proud of Nicolai’s choice of B&B. We started our busy day with a truly memorable breakfast followed by great sightseeing recommendations from our hosts. As luck would have it we are here for the last day of Carnaval de Quebec, a 17-day, multi-venue winter carnival. Think Mardi Gras in winter and you have an idea of how big a deal the Quebec Winter Carnival is, the largest such event in the world. We arrived at the Place Desjardins located on the Plains of Abraham where we were amused and impressed by the snow sculptures, toured through a two story castle made entirely of ice, and watched some very unusual and funny amusement park style activities including our favorite, human fussball. Contestants are strapped to huge rods on a scaled up table and try to work as a team to score goals (very entertaining to watch). We spent the most time watching a horse drawn sledding competition which involved solo racing over a complex course with time penalties assigned for failure to cleanly traverse a gate.

We then proceeded, walking along the walls of the Citadel to Old Quebec. The rich historic nature of Old Quebec is marked by the city’s ramparts, fortifications, and many historic houses and buildings. The majority of buildings in the neighborhood date from 19th century, although the construction of some date back to 17th and 18th centuries. The famous Château Frontenac, currently operating as a grand hotel, is without doubt one of the most iconic structures in the city. I photographed it from a ferry during a brief excursion across the ice flow laden Saint Lawrence River.

Our final destination for the day are the Montmorency Falls. At 275 feet high, (and 150 feet wide) they are the highest in the province of Quebec and 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls. The falls are at the mouth of the Montmorency River where it drops over the cliff shore into the Saint Lawrence River, opposite the western end of the Île d’Orleans. There are staircases that allow visitors to view the falls from several different perspectives. Despite being closed, Nicolai went to the top and I to the first landing to enjoy the views at the risk of slipping on the ice encrusted steps.